Guardian Angel
by AGENT Kuma-chan
Summary: 24hour community. Zero/Yuuki. Zero is Yuuki's guardian angel. She has yet to realize she's also his. 7. Their paths might intersect, might collide and bounce off, but they will never be congruent.
1. Can you sleep with me?

Community: 24hours

**Community:** 24hours

**Theme:** 18:00—matters of safety, protection, and completion

**Title:** Can I sleep with you?

**Fandom:** Vampire Knights

**Character/Pairing: **Yuuki/Zero

**Category: **Romantic

**Dedication:** To Kiki (am I still allowed to call her that?) because she introduced me to this community.

**Warnings:** None. Except, the title is misleading. This is _**not**_ a 'M' rated fic, so don't expect lime or lemons. At all.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned it, currently Yuuki would be ignoring Kaname and Zero would not regard her as the enemy. As it is, I have to work with what I have.

**Summery:** If there is one thing Yuuki knows, it's that Zero's pillow is the softest and his bed the comfiest. What it says about Zero she wants to find out.

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_**Can I sleep with you?**_

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_(Chase away my monsters and hidden demons)_

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Zero opened his eyes slowly, blinking into the darkness. Something had woken him up at this—he turns to look at his antique clock—ungodly hour of one am. Tilting his head to the right, he peered through the dark room and listened carefully. All was silent for a few minutes and then a small sound filtered in. It was there for only a moment, but already he knew who it was. Silver eyes narrowing, his body leapt off his bed in a fluid motion and silently landed on the floor. Taking long strides, the eight-year-old quickly opened his door.

With a squeak of surprise, a small figure fell on his chest. Long, smooth fingers grabbed his shirt and a small head rested on him for a moment before looking up. Zero let out a soft sigh before putting his hands on the person's shoulders and pushing it slightly away from him. Making sure the person was balanced and could stand, he then turned on the lights and asked, "What do you want, Yuuki?"

Big brown eyes blinked for a moment, adjusting to the light. They then looked up and recognized the boy in front of her. "Zero!" she smiled. Her eyes closed with relief and she continued, "Wow, you figured out who I was pretty quickly! How'd you know?"

He remained silent for a moment, looking at her. "Who else comes here at this time, idiot?" he finally muttered, looking away. He didn't mention, though, how he memorized her scent and could always, always, tell when she was nearby.

(He might have only been there for a while, but he could already tell she was _important_)

Instead, he headed back into his plain room. Heading to his desk, he pulled out a chair and sat on it, rubbing his eyes tiredly. It had been a long night, filled with cold winds and _brother, don't leave me!_

Yuuki, watching him sit down, took the silent invitation and slowly followed him in, closing the door behind her. Glancing around the room, she gave another small smile. It hadn't changed much since the last time she visited. Still empty with only a bed, a desk, a chair, and a few racks for clothes.

Still Zero-like.

"Why are you here?" his low voice repeated, breaking the silence.

"Well…" she looked down nervously. "I'm here for a…" she paused. There's no way she could tell him the _real_ reason. "I'm here for a…visit!"

"At one in the morning?" he raised an eyebrow.

"…well, you might be lonely! And we haven't seen each other in a while!"

"…Yuuki, stop lying."

"What? How could you think _I'd_ lie to you?"

"Yuuki," his voice warned.

"I…"

He sighed as he noticed her hesitation. "What do you want?"

"Eh?" she stared at him in surprise. He wasn't going to ask her? _Wow…Zero's really nice_, she thought.

Nice enough that'd she'll tell him why.

"I had a nightmare," she admitted quietly, flushing lightly as he frowned. "It was really scary, though! With all sorts of horrible things and…" her voice trailed off and she shivered.

"Can I spend the night?"

Zero's eyes widened. He was expecting a lot of things, but certainly not this. "N—"

"I won't be any trouble," Yuuki interrupted, realizing he was about to refuse her. "Please," she pleaded. "Just one night?"

His eyes darkened and Yuuki knew that he was about to kick her out of his room. She scrunched up her shoulders, feeling defeated.

"…get into the bed," was all he said before he turned his head away. Ignoring her, he crossed his arms on his desk and rested his head there. "Turn off the lights before you sleep."

She gave him a bright smile and a warm, "Thank you!" before turning off the lights and jumping into his bed. Then, snuggling into the bed, she pulled the comforter over her head.

Zero's bed was warm.

-x-

A soft rap on the wooden door and a small "Zero?" was all he needed to hear before he got out of his bed. Turning on the lights, he opened the door and let her in.

"What is it tonight?" he asked, sitting down on his chair again. Yuuki looked uncharacteristically nervous, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt as she looked around the room. She gave him a weak smile and was about to reply when a booming sound was heard.

She jumped slightly as he looked out the window crossly. He turned back to her and was surprised to see her shivering a little. Putting two and two together (he was smart, after all), he gave a small smirk.

"Afraid of thunder?"

"N-no!" she stuttered as the crack of thunder was heard again. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"…fine…Zero always knows everything…" Yuuki sighed, before asking, "Can I sleep here tonight?"

He frowned a little. She'd been appearing in his room in the middle of the night a lot since that day, even though a year had passed. So often that the scent of her lingered on his bed long after she was gone.

They both remained silent for a moment, before Yuuki broke the silence and repeated her request.

"…" he sighed. He couldn't refuse her now. He muttered a low, "You owe me" before nodding.

"Thanks!" she made a gleeful sound as she crawled into his bed. Curling up under the comforters, she turned to face him. The sound of thunder was heard again, and she jumped.

"Zero?"

He remained in his position, his head in his arms again, but he made a small noise to show he was listening.

"Can you…" she hesitated. Zero would mock her tomorrow for this, she just knew it. It'd be better not to ask. The skies roared again, though, and she decided that she could live with the teasing.

At least, live with it a little.

"Can you…" her voice trailed off as she tried to find a way to ask.

"What is it?" he finally asked, tired of waiting.

"Can you sleep near me?" He lifted his head and turned to stare at her, causing her to flush. "I…I'd rather have a hand to grab or something…daddy would do it."

"Then sleep with _him_."

"He's not here! And Zero needs company!" she pouted a bit, hoping to win her way.

He just stared at her before turning around. Taking that as a no, the 9-year-old girl sighed. She brought the comforter up to her chin once more and curled up again, turning to face Zero.

Instead of seeing his figure on the chair, she saw silver strands in front of her. "Zero?" she squeaked, surprised.

Hearing his name, he turned to face her and said, "Go to sleep." He then returned to his original position, which was him sitting on the floor and leaning on the bed. Closing his eyes, he relaxed slightly.

Yuuki's eyes widened before softening. He was sleeping near her after all! "Thank you," she whispered. One of her hands fell off the bed and grabbed his hand, giving it a quick squeeze before letting go.

Zero's hand was soft.

-x-

Years go by in the same manner. Yuuki would appear at Zero's door around midnight. She'd be scared or lonely or something, asking him if she could sleep.

It grew to the point where she didn't even need to ask but did so anyways. He'd never refuse her—whether she realized it or not—and only grumbled about his lack of sleep out of habit.

It's another one of those nights when she just lay there, staring up at the ceiling. Zero was sleeping on his chair this time—she didn't need his hand tonight—and she was slowly drifting off herself.

"Zero's bed is comfy and surprising soft and warm and so is his hand," she contemplates. She always thought that his bed would be hard, but she was wrong. "It's really…nice…"

"Kind of like the owner."

Yuuki smiled at that thought. Zero is definitely more than he lets on. These nights have reminded her time and time again that he's a safe zone to her. Kaname-sama might be the one who made her heart go fast, but it was Zero who made her feel protected. His room was a place where she didn't have to worry or be scared. Instead, it was a place where she could be comforted and feel secure.

It was a very…complete feeling she had as she lay there. A warm feeling.

And that night, as she slept, it wasn't Kaname she dreamed of.

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**A/N:** Well…this one had a nice feel to it. I hope they aren't too out of character. This is the first in a set of one-shots—about 24 of them because of the community.

All of them shall be Yuuki/Zero, though some might have Kaname/Yuuki—this means Zero/Yuuki angst. Ask if there are any questions/requests.

I thought I'd start it off with a fluffy, cute one…

Review!


	2. Crash Landing

**Theme:** 21:00—comprehension of universal truth

**Title: **Crash Landing

**Fandom:** Vampire Knights

**Pairing:** Yuuki/Zero

**Category:** Romantic

**Warnings:** Hmm…this is set between Shizuka's death and Yuuki's realization that she's a vampire.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned it, would Kaname have said his plans a million times without Yuuki finding out?

**Summary:** The day Yuuki found out about Kaname's plans was the day she fell apart. That was also the day that Zero started putting her back together again.

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_Crash Landing_

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They were standing in one of the corridors, a slight distance apart. The only light came from the window, the moon faintly revealing the two figures. Kaname was looking at Zero with cool indifference, a look of power on his face, while Zero gritted his teeth and scowled.

A tableau that seemed to repeat continuously, without any end.

"Don't forget who's in control here." Kaname felt something was wrong but ignored it, continuing with his reminder. He had said this before, but sometimes it seemed as though the level E vampire kept forgetting. "Don't forget whose blood is in your veins, who is keeping you alive."

Zero remained silent, glowering angrily. There was nothing he could say because it was true and he hated himself for it. He owed his life to the very beings he despised. This was yet another one of the failings he could add to the list, another humiliation he had to bear.

"Now, make yourself useful and protect Yuuki—" Kaname stilled, hearing something, and abruptly turned to the right. The strange feeling grew stronger and he realized why.

Zero turned as well, unsure if this was a trap, and peered into the dimly lit hallway when he heard it. It was the sound of small footsteps and immediately he recognized it. Why wouldn't he, when they haunted him in his dreams and he followed them during the day?

"This…" Yuuki appeared from the shadows, her eyes wide. She was trembling slightly, her hands clasped in front of her. "This isn't true, right?" There was a fragile, shaky smile on her lips, one that was on the verge of breaking. Zero wasn't sure if he could put it back together if it broke—and it would break, that was for certain.

"Kaname-sempai…you wouldn't do that to Zero, would you?" She tripped over her words, almost saying them too fast in her rush to say anything to keep the revealing silence away. "It isn't true, right? Kaname-sempai is nice and a good vampire. You saved me from other vampires. Kaname-sempai stood up for Zero against the vampire council." Questions poured out of her mouth, repeating over and over. If she said it enough, then maybe it will be true. If she spoke long enough, she wouldn't have to hear the harsh truth.

Kaname, for his part, looked surprised at her. She snuck up on him and now…everything would be ruined. Plans that were laid out for years were now gone with the utterance of a word.

Well, if she found out the truth about her past, then she'd probably understand. Yet it was too early for that. She wasn't ready and it was too dangerous right now, even if he longed for it himself. No, the only course left then would be to make her forget. Later, when she understood everything, she'd realize why he did what he did.

"Yuuki," he said softly, a tender smile slipping on his lips, "Let me explain something to you." He took a step forward, not hesitating because she'd never run away from him, and then another.

"Kaname-sempai…" Her voice was almost inaudible as she saw him make his move. Quickly she glanced at Zero, wanting to see the truth in his reaction, the reality in his eyes.

What she saw was Zero looking away, at the ground, and that was when she realized that this wasn't a big joke. He always did help her find the truth, intentionally or not.

Kaname came even closer and it dawned on her what his intentions were.

"Stay where you are!" She released her weapon holding it in front of her. It was a barrier, one that stopped him only momentarily, and she used that time to back away. "I…I won't let you erase my memory, like last time."

"Yuuki, are you holding your weapon against me?" Kaname said, wounded.

"I…" She didn't want to hurt him and yet she did. It was a contradiction but her life was filled with them. "I…"

"Yuuki-chan? Zero-kun?" Her father came into the hall, holding a flashlight. "What are you doing—"

That was all it took for her to flee.

-x-

It was bound to happen one day, he realized. Already it happened with him, realizing the truth of his changing and his parents' death. With any lie, there would be a day when the truth came out.

It just happened that today was the day that Yuuki found out the truth. There was nothing he could do to change it, even if he wanted to, and he doubted that Kaname could do anything about it either.

Zero ran his hand through his hair, sighing as he watched her figure shrink. There would be some changes after this. Of course, this all depended on how she recovered after this. After all, Kaname was the basis of her actions, her beliefs, and her dreams. Her entire life centered around him. This would be a big shock to her.

He recovered quickly. Zero wasn't sure if Yuuki could do the same.

-x-

Kaname didn't follow her. He didn't chase her down, didn't plead his innocence. Her hero (and crush, because surely it couldn't be love, not now, not anymore) didn't come after her and she reached her room alone.

What was the truth? It was like water, slipping through her hands. When she thought she knew something, it disappeared and changed, becoming something she didn't recognize.

This wasn't the first time it happened but this time hurt more than the others. Kaname used Zero, maybe even other people. She wasn't sure why—maybe it was for something good but she couldn't believe that either.

And Zero…for how long had this happened? All those times she talked about Kaname, said how kind and amazing he was…all those times she showed her belief in Kaname.

No wonder Zero hated Kaname. She remembered how she used to get angry at Zero for insulting Kaname. Blindly saying things that Zero knew better, she must have hurt him. Especially since he couldn't say anything to correct her.

She crawled into her bed, curling up in a corner, and silently let the crystalline drops fall. It was wrong, all wrong, and nothing could change that.

-x-

Kaname sighed as the girl disappeared. There was nothing he could do for the moment, without raising the suspicion of Cross at the very least. If he wanted to erase her memory, he was slowly loosing time to do it effectively.

In all probabilities, he won't even get time to do it today and would have to catch her unawares later. There was the chance that Cross would find out what he was doing but he would risk it. She was far more important than any rules. The only problem was that he might do it too late…

He'd have to deal with that later. "I'll be leaving now," Kaname announced as he turned around and elegantly left the other two.

Cross looked at him, confusion clouding his face. "What just happened?"

Zero didn't respond and Cross realized it was futile to expect any answers tonight. Instead, with a heavy tone and wise eyes, he said, "She's probably in her room." It won't help in the long run but for now he wanted his daughter to have a peaceful night.

There was a nod and Zero left the room, realizing what was expected of him.

-x-

Her eyes blinked open slowly when she felt something hard fall on her. It was warm and soft and she didn't remember where she was. Blearily, she pulled it closer around her as she looked around the dark room. It was still night and she saw a figure in front of her.

"…" The figure silently finished putting the comforter over her before getting off the bed. Moonlight spilled through the window and onto the person, revealing silver hair.

"Zero?" She looked around, wondering why he was in her room. "Why are you—"

"You could catch a cold sleeping like that."

"I—" She remembered the destruction of her world and felt her eyes grow watery. "I…I'm sorry." What could she really say now? There was nothing she could say or do to erase what happened to him.

"…" He stared at her, a ghostly silence in the room. She hated that silence, hated the sharp edges that came with it and the unsaid words she could hear.

"I…Thank you." She tried to smile again, to reassure him so that he could leave and let her cry alone.

A sigh escaped his lips and he climbed back onto the bed.

"W-what are you doing?" _Please leave._ She didn't know how much longer she could act strong and she didn't want to break down in front of him. Not again, not when he kept getting hurt over and over more than she did. Yuuki barely had a reason to cry when compared to him.

Zero sat beside her, ignoring her motions, and pulled her into his chest. "You can cry in front of me, you know," he softly said in his typical blunt way.

She blinked in surprise, unsure of what to do. When he made an annoyed sound, finally she let the tears rain down and her fingers grip his shirt.

At least Zero was still the same, not changing or lying. He was still Zero, who teased her and annoyed her but still showed her the way, a reliable guide. Here was stable ground.

She fell asleep in his arms as she cried, exhausted and worn out.

Zero sighed as he absentmindedly patted her sleeping head. She wouldn't be happy for days, wouldn't be having that carefree attitude of hers. Instead, she would paste on a fake smile, make a laugh that sounded like broken glass, and feel dejected when she was alone. At the worst, she might not even let herself feel sad, thinking she didn't have a good reason to do so.

A frown marred his features when he realized that. "I guess I'll have to deal with her, then," he muttered. There was no one else who would or could do so at this point.

That was ok, though. He had practice fixing broken things, especially with her, and he still owed her for saving him. If nothing else, he repaid his debts.

He pulled the comforter tighter around her, letting her keep her grip on him.

Tomorrow the healing process can start. For tonight, though, he'll just guard her sleep.

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**A/N:** This sucked…seriously…I'm rusty or something. I'll do better on the next one, I hope. I'll try to post it this week because I have time and the idea.

Criticize harshly. Seriously. And I'm sorry about the length. I've been writing shorter stories these last few days, for some reason….


	3. Whispers in the dark

**Title:** Whispers in the dark

**Theme:** 23:00—Coping with drastic change in a positive manner

**A/N:** She's coping to change in a semi-positive manner. Anyways, there was a scene I originally planned to put in this one but no longer fit. If you still want to read it, then go to my VK one-shot collection (Sun and Moon) and read the second one-shot on it. It has the Zero/Yuuki scene that this whole story was built around.

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They live in a small, isolated world. A little bubble where nothing else exists, nothing else is there to drag back memories of what she left behind.

(Of what she leaves behind every night in her shadow-filled dreams, those nightmares that she jolts awake in the arms of Kaname.)

"It snowing," she tells him as she stares out of the slightly frosted window, watching the small flakes coat the ground. Her fingers trace the cracks on the glass, signs of neglect from years ago, as she waits for his reply.

"Do you want to go outside?" he asks, watching her with those all too keen eyes. She turns to see him staring at her, his hair and eyes an almost mirror image of her own and she wonders how she didn't realize the truth for so long.

Realizing she took to long to reply, Yuuki gives him a quick smile. "Not yet." She turns back to the window, not wanting him to catch her expression. "I'd rather wait for it to finish falling."

The snow is a light shade of grey and while it reminds her of that night Kaname saved her, she finds herself thinking of a little boy covered in blood more.

-x-

Dinners are silent affairs, the only sound her chewing and the clink of chopsticks and bowl. Kaname doesn't bother with this pretence, the only substance he wants is her blood. Yuuki insisted on eating, though. Years of habit don't disappear overnight.

"I think I'm getting better at this," she tells him, grinning. She picks a piece of her chicken on the chopstick and waves it at him. "See? It's not burnt this time. And the flavour isn't as bad."

"Is it?" He gives her a soft smile before biting the chicken. It's hard not to jump in surprise; even now she isn't used to his speed or her own.

"Well, it's not as good as—" she stops her words, swallows them down and kills them before he can notice what she was about to say. "I hoped, but it's the best I can do now."

He eyes her and she fears that he caught her pause. Just like that night (was it only a year ago? It feels like another lifetime) when he caught her after Zero drank. That fear never left her, that fear that comes every time she betrays his trust.

"It's my Yuuki's," he says as though it settles the matter and for all purposes, it does. She almost sighs with relief before another thought hits her.

Why does even mentioning Zero feel like a taboo, even if it just to say his cooking is better than hers?

-x-

"Do you ever regret this?" He doesn't ask that question as much as he used to so it catches her off guard.

"No," she replies, leaning over to hug him. It's a little awkward, with him sitting on the chair, but she manages to anyways. "I don't."

And it's true. He's been good to her, almost too good, and she can't fully believe that she got what she wanted so easily. Kaname's always soft around her, a pillow that she buries herself deeper and deeper in. With no arguments or yelling, life is pleasant and she can't say she regrets that.

It's only sometimes she finds herself choking on the polite gestures and comfortable silences. When she's about to fall or when she does something she knows is wrong, she expects a quiet but sharp rebuke coming her way. A hand that's calloused and rough when it grabs her, a raised eyebrow, and a mocking grin appears when she does something stupid.

Then she blinks and realizes the hand is gentle and the eyes are concerned. She's staring at Kaname instead of Zero. She tries to remember where she is fast enough but it's hard to get rid of the lingering traces of her memory.

"I never regretted it." She isn't sure if she's speaking to Kaname or the illusion behind him.

-x-

She isn't used to sleeping during the day but she makes that adjust for him. At first it was very hard. She'd stay awake long after he fell asleep, her eyes resting on his chest. Sometimes, if she could stay still and hold her breathe long enough, she could hear the blood rushing through his veins.

If she listened hard enough, she could convince herself that there is a heart beating behind that and it isn't her own fingers tapping his skin.

-x-

"I have a surprise for you," Kaname whispers in her ear as he leads her down the stairs. Her bare feet sink into the carpet and she imagines that's how it's like with him. Then she takes a step and that feeling is lost as she slides over the tiles.

"What is it?"

He shakes his head, his hair lightly brushing her face. Where it touches, her face feels warm, but the sensation disappears just as fast. "Would it still be a surprise then?" Seeing her reluctant agreement, he gives her a hint. "It's spring."

"Yes…" she slowly replies, mystified. He leads her past the kitchen and to a door she never noticed before. Opening it, he ushers her through and she closes her eyes to the sudden light.

"I thought you might want one."

Yuuki can't reply. She simply stares at the large garden in front of her, ready to almost fly into it. Glancing at him, she hesitantly touches a firey tulip. Not stopping, she moves through the garden faster and faster, almost running to see all the plants around her. Dahlias, climbing vines, marigolds, there were dozens of plants surrounding her. Some where nothing more than stems and green leaves, steadily growing buds for that moment in the summer when they would bloom while others where casting the last of their strength into a flower before they disappeared with the spring.

"I love it." She finally tells him when she returns. "I love it."

-x-

Kaname usually drinks her blood, only taking others when it is necessary. Yuuki is a willing victim, having wanted this for a while.

(_you want him to do this, don't you?_)

He's always gentle when he does it, even if he's impatient and waited for days.

(She didn't lie to Zero. Her feelings changed after but she didn't lie back then.)

His teeth sink in and she sees apologetic eyes staring into her own, trembling fingers holding her and feels her blood greedily sucking her blood in. Bathroom tiles dig into her back, the blood flowing out of her faster before stopping completely. A head leans on her, sated but sorry, tired and angry at himself.

It's only after that she realizes that they are lying on the bed and he's confidently pulling her up.

(She didn't lie.)

-x-

"Do you miss them?"

A deep question, weighing heavily on her mind. The answer can go two ways, sending her to two different worlds.

"A little less everyday."

The die is cast and she finds herself clinging to what she lost again.

-x-

She can't escape him in the night. The silver moon shines brightly, the shadows warp themselves around her body, and she's running on the school paths again.

Running faster and faster—he's leaving again, he's trying to bear this alone, she has to stop him—the loud footsteps and the harsh sound of breathing break the silence.

She sees him, shoulders set determinedly, and tries to grab him. "Don't go! Don't leave!"

He turns to her, his eyes as blank as the rest of his face, and she wakes up panting and sweaty.

_You're the one who left._

-x-

Kaname's friends visit from time to time. They had wanted to stay with him, pleaded him for hours, but to no avail.

_It's our home, just Yuuki and me,_ he had told them. And after he had waited for years for this, they couldn't protest.

They wanted his happiness more than they wanted to stay.

Still, they couldn't leave him completely and would return to him, the lost pet returning to his owner. They'd appear together, staying for days on end.

It is during one of those visits that Akatsuki turns her world upside down.

"It's not true," she stutters, hastily trying to erase his words. "It can't be true."

He looks at her, almost right into her, before he replies. "It is."

"No!" She almost yells that and starts desperately looking for an exit. "It's not. Stop lying." Kaname enters the room but she ignores him. "It's not." She repeats it, a mantra, as she runs out of the room.

"You told her." It's a statement, not a question, but Akatsuki answers anyways.

"Yes. She would have found out anyways that he died."

"…"

-x-

She sits in the garden, staring at the falling petals from the (flower that means remorse). Akatsuki's words echo in her head, playing on and on in a loop. It's hard to believe them, to swallow that bitter pill when she doesn't want to believe they are true.

It's harder still when she can see him walking down the garden paths, smirking at her with a light tease on his tongue. She can almost touch, almost hear him, and he seems more real than any words that Akatsuki told her.

But he's not and every time her fingers graze him, they fall through. Fall through and out and she finds herself falling on to the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks as her hands still reach out to the apparition.

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	4. The flow and ebb of time

**Title:** The swelling and ebbing of time

**Theme:** 0600—Tenacity and perseverance, especially with something you have been putting off

**Warnings:** Spoilers for the latest chapters

**Summary:** _They were so different now, so far removed from the boy and girl who were friends. She didn't think she could change what she had started._

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The clock slowly ticked away the seconds (tick, tick, tick, tock) before chiming four bells. An old grandfather clock, she never thought that Zero would buy one of those. He wasn't one for taking unnecessary expensive and he didn't seem interested in old clocks. That was something she liked—these types of clocks seemed to have a character to them.

For a moment, she imagined he bought them as a keepsake, a memory of the past, but brushed the thought aside. He didn't like to do that either—the clock probably came with the apartment.

Looking around, she noticed how barely furnished the room was—a worn-out table and three chairs, a small lamp, a few books on the side. The wall closest to the door showed signs of repair—he probably broke them and had to fix them himself. She could see the border between the patchwork and the original wall, sticking out like the lines between the dark and light.

Were the differences between Zero and her just as sharply cut? Easily found and seen now, where before the edges were blurred to a soft mixture?

Yuuki shook her head, looking back at Zero once more. He was older, more haggard and tired-looking, as though time had worn away at him little by little. She doubted she looked as used up, considering how she spent the last year.

She parted her lips to ask him what he did for that year, what sort of work his organization made him do to break him like this, when she realized it was also her fault. The cracks started because of her, the chips in his shell created by her ammo.

Zero watched her with his unreadable eyes and she wondered, once again, just how far they have gone that she can no longer even attempt to guess what he was thinking.

At least he still looked the same. A little older, a little more mature, but he still appeared the same. Glancing at his hands, she remembered the comfort and warmth they used to give her.

Never to do so again and she felt a sense of loss.

_It was a mistake coming here,_ she thought. _A mistake._

"…I'll get tea," Zero said, bringing her back to the present. Another change, if he was offering something so civilly to her.

(Didn't he say that the next time they met, he'd kill her?)

"It's ok." She licked her dry lips, nervous. "I have to leave soon."

They fall silent again and she tried to remember why she came here again.

"Have you been…well?" That question was a mistake, the moment she heard it she knew she shouldn't have said. Small talk that she didn't have any right to say.

"…" Zero's eyes flickered to the window for a moment before returning to her. "As well as can be expected."

A not-answer, one that told her nothing and everything at once.

"How are—"

"You're friends are fine. They remember but are unharmed."

She gave him a small smile. In some ways, things hadn't changed. He still knew what was on her mind.

"…"

"And you?"

He asked that for formalities sake, probably. The president of the vampire hunters, if Yuuki remembered correctly, was his future. Learning to talk politely was something he needed to do for that.

"I've been fine." She could have said happy, because she had been with Kaname-sama for the whole year and that was all she needed.

But that would be rubbing salt into old wounds, dragging up pains that were better left hidden and unsaid.

(And had she been completely happy? Mostly but not a hundred percent. There were still chinks to her armor.)

"I've been fine," she repeated, but if it was for his or her sake, she wasn't sure.

"…" Zero seemed to realize that, merely raising an eyebrow before getting up from his seat. "I'll make tea."

She almost protested again before sighing. Even now, Zero was still patiently waiting for her to say her piece, tell him why she had suddenly appeared at his door after the day's hearing had been done.

He was too good for her, sometimes, and she wondered if this was an old habit that kicked into gear.

(Or maybe he had gotten over the incident, but considering how he avoided her touch when she tried to greet him, she doubted that.)

"Do you still cook?"

A stupid question—who else would cook for him?—but he didn't call her on it. Another surprise.

"When I eat, yes."

Yuuki blinked in surprise. What did he mean by that? A small white bottle on a table nearby caught her attention and she walked over and picked it up. Those blood pills again—had he been using them the whole time she had been gone?

Another stupid question. Of course he had. He had lost her, his source of blood, and he wouldn't go after humans. Not until the end.

(The cool gun in her hands, the soft click of the safety, she remembered holding his lifeline and thinking it was too heavy a burden.)

Looking down, she noticed a few more bottles, all empty. How many did he eat a day?

"Here's your tea." He handed it over to her, careful not to let his fingers brush hers.

"Thank you."

How formal this all seemed—no wonder he didn't tease like he used to. Already she was a stranger to him and he to her.

Strangers didn't tease each other. Strangers didn't worry over each other.

Strangers didn't love each other.

(Oddly enough, that small part of her that loved him ached and didn't seem quite as small anymore.)

"Do you still carry out missions?"

Idle chatter.

"Yes."

Short answers.

"Have you kept up in your studies?"

"Yes."

"I have too."

A place where a tease should be, one attacking her study habits.

"How is the school?"

"It recovered properly."

"…" There was nothing more to say, and she needed to get out of that room. It was unbearable how the past and the present floated over each other, overlapping so that she was stuck noticing both and changing neither. At time she could hear the echo of his voice with what he used to say, the actions he used to take when she did something silly.

Yet, Zero had changed so much that she could tell which one was the ghost and which one was the creature she had created.

If she asked another question, she'd be waiting for a response that would never come.

She had to get out of there.

(Before she tried to bring back the boy from her memories, before she tried to do something she had no right to do.

She was wrong earlier, when she said she needed a punishment. Nothing could hurt more than this.)

"I…It's getting late and I promised Kaname-sama I'd be back." An obvious excuse but she used it anyways. Something flickered in his eyes when she spoke and she could have sworn it was her Zero at that moment. Then the moment passed and she was staring at the stranger again.

Moving ahead of her, he reached the door first and held it open for her.

"I've…" There wouldn't be another chance to say this and she still hesitated, unsure if this will cut him deeper than she already had. "I've been worried."

Another flicker. "…I'm fine."

"…Don't kill yourself. Don't hurt yourself. Please." A selfish demand but he obliged anyways.

"I won't."

"Is it ok if I…" She paused again, unsure if she should complete her sentence.

He sighed, lowering his eyes. "As long as I am not busy."

She turned to leave, quickly so that she wouldn't have to see her Zero and this one mix together.

As she headed down the stairs, she saw him stay out in the hall, watching her descend the stairs.

He looked so broken and battered.

(She gave him too much pain and hope.)

As she remembered how empty the room had been, how empty he had been, she thought she would be the death of him.

…

…

…

….

….


	5. Moviestars

**Title:** Movie Stars

**Theme:** 0400—improved luck or victory over a specific set of deterring circumstances

**A/N:** You have my sister to thank for the ending—it was going to end angsty until she edited it. Anyways, sorry for the long wait. ^-^;; I was feeling a tad bit uninspired. Especially with the recent plot line of Vampire Knights.

I was rather happy with the cover pages for the last two chapters though, especially the second last one. . And the whole 'hands' incident. *sigh*

I think I'll start working on the next one.

**Summary:** _He can only see her on movie screens and newspaper._

...

...

...

...

...

"Who was that man?" A dramatic turn, her brownish-red eyes fearful as she questions. "Why did he attack us?" Her voice trembles slightly at this part.

The music rises, a crescendo of trilling, and the dark-haired man in front of her approaches her softly. A close-up of his face, of his feet, of her shaking hands. Her eye widens, as big as the world, and then her back is shown.

"Kaname-kun..." she whispers as he leans down to her ear, his fingers brushing aside her hair.

"He's, my dear Yuuki-chan." The music reaches a climax before suddenly stopping. "Your brother."

-x-

They don't meet anymore. Once upon a time, they used to, in hidden cafes and in library nooks. Then _Fire and Ice_ came out, as well as _The Secret_, and small things like hot coco and the rustling of papers became what they always were—small things. Unimportant things.

Impossible-to-do things.

Zero can only get a hold of her these days, if at all, by her old email account and the rarest of phone calls. Luckily, the paparazzi have yet to find either of those methods.

He doesn't doubt they soon will. Then there will be nothing left.

-x-

The camera cuts to her soft lips, to the folds in her skirts. It slowly pans the room, highlighting the gothic windows (the iron bars, the sharp points, the dark curtains).

Something clinks and a flash of silver glints at the edge of the camera. Slowly, ever so slowly, it tilts to reveal a chain tying her to the bed.

"Why are you doing this, Kaname?" Her voice is soft and the camera only shows the fingers clenching. "Why?"

A shadow looms at the door, a twisted grin on his face. "Why wouldn't I?"

He disappears into the hallway. On her hand, a teardrop falls.

-x-

Yuuki is a famous actress. Before that though, before the glimmering dresses, before the fame that came with her face, she was Zero's neighbor.

They lived at the edge of the city, where the woods crept slowly in and it seemed like they were the only people in the world.

"You know," Yuuki confided to him one day, "I want to visit the city."

"Why would you want to go there?" He didn't look up from his math homework, fingers carefully scrawling the answers.

"It seems...interesting." She smiled, staring out the window. "I've always lived here and I want to explore the world."

"..." He looked up know, watching the far-away expression on her face. "How do you expect to survive? You can't even do our math problems."

"...Well...uh..." She frowned to herself. "I..."

Sighing, he looked back down at the sheet. "I suppose I will have to go with you, then."

He missed the smile on her face.

-x-

Zero hates watching movies. He stopped watching live-action when her visits were cut shorter and shorter, stopped watching animation when her apologies started to arrive, and stopped thinking of them entirely when it took months for even the smallest reply to a message.

He watches her new movies, though, once. Just once, in a theatre full of strangers. Love-sick teenagers crowd the back rows, throwing popcorn in the air and spilling sticky messes on the seats and floor. Parents hover, sitting worriedly a little ahead.

Zero sits in the middle. Exact middle. When the lights dim and the sounds blare in, he watches her dance her way through the scene. Sometimes she's a poor beggar, trying to get shelter. Once she was a gypsy, prancing on stage of grass and stars. Another time she was a rich heiress, mourning her father's death.

Today she is a young girl trying to find her best friend. Her friend is everywhere but nowhere. There are killers and secret messages, locked rooms and haunted passages. The crowd oohs and aahs over the whole thing, gasping at the right times.

Sitting rigidly in his seat, Zero watches the girl he used to know change once more.

-x-

"Why...why did you do this?" There is anger as well as bewilderment when she asks. Her fists clench, her eyes narrow. "WHY?"

His smile widens, hair billowing from the wind. She shivers (hands wrap around her chest, her back bends, her knees shake). The music stills, his hands softly land on her shoulders.

This time it is a side view of the two faces, facing each other. One is angry, the other smiling like this was all a very amusing game.

The camera zooms into her widening eyes, her slightly parted lips as she hears the answer.

"Because you don't need him anymore."

-x-

Being neighbors and, by default, best friends meant a lot of things. It meant evenings of watching lions become kings, dogs saving the world, adventures of mice in the sea. Yuuki always chose the shows and movies because he always watched and eat dinner at her house. She couldn't cook, so he had to learn.

When they played card games after dinner, she would always reveal her hand. A smile, a grimace, her emotions flickered across her face and he learned to decrypt them. She was an open book to him, with the worst poker face in the world and usually the worst hand.

(It's ironic how good she is now. He doubts he can read her anymore.)

They would spend the afternoon working on homework, Yuuki trying to get outside to play and Zero giving her a look that meant_ 'If you don't finish this now..._' Yuuki never tried to find out beyond that. In the morning, they would walk to school together and Yuuki's father would take them out for lunch every now and then.

Years went by in this manner—it was comfortable and safe and Zero didn't really think he'd miss it.

But he does and he knows that those days can never come back again.

-x-

Her face is smeared on the paper, announcing her newest movie. On his computer, a small ding alerts him of a new email. Her name is highlighted beside the message.

His first from her in months. He hasn't bothered checking the beeping answering machine to see if she called—she hasn't done so in a year, so he doubts she will do so now.

_Zero-kun,_

_I'm sorry, I can't write too much right now. I'm very busy these days—did you know I'm making a new movie? Well, you might, because you always read the newspaper, but you don't watch movies unless someone forces you, so I suppose you might not pay attention to it..._

_Anyways, I'm making a new movie. Another one with Kaname-sama, even. I didn't expect to be working with him so much. You should see him perform—he's really professional and talented. He trains me sometimes. _

_How have you been? I'm sorry I can't visit or call as much as I used to—the paparazzi attack me when I get out the doors. Kaname-sama tells me that eventually they'll get interested in someone else, so it's best to try to keep their attention for now and not do anything stupid. I don't think visiting you is stupid, but Kaname-sama said you'd probably prefer privacy over the photographers._

_Secretly, I think he's right. I still want to see you, though. Maybe I should get a webcam or...we can take a photo! You take one and I take one and swap. I miss you, you know. You probably are getting a bit irritated right now with that—I'm working hard, you know, I'm try hard to not let anything get me down. Sometimes, though, I wish I was at home sitting on the couch watching a movie with you. Keep it warm for me, ok? I'll try to sneak away from all of this one day._

_Love,_

_Yuuki_

He almost laughs. She obviously didn't get the message that he's moved to the city now, that the house has been abandoned for about three years. Still, he takes the time to reply, congratulating her. It's a good thing that emotions cannot be conveyed through the internet—his words would sound bitter otherwise.

-x-

They met Kaname five years ago. Rather, Yuuki caught his attention when she was twirling in the front yards. Zero was sitting under a tree, a book on his laps, watching her from the corners of his eyes.

Kaname arrived, looking for her father, but was surprised to see instead a teenage girl floating through the flowers.

Yuuki took to things easily. She adopted stray animals that lingered on her porch steps, hoping for a meal. They never stayed long and she cried after each one, but she was always happy when the next one arrived. She helped transfer students and played with little kids in the park when there was no one else. She liked new languages and new facts, kept changing her favourite band and actor every week.

It was no surprise that she started to hang around Kaname during the visit. She would follow him around the house, haunting each footsteps.

(_He's famous, Zero, famous! He's an actor and a director and he was in the movie_—)

It was a surprise however, when she suddenly announced that she was leaving in a week for lights, fame, and a land where the stars were always on the ground.

Especially since she wasn't taking him.

-x-

Zero works on computers these days. He tries to break past security, pointing out the flaws in the firewalls and the holes in the network. Easy enough; when he got his first computer he had already started trying to break into the school's servers.

It's small work, though. Not anything that will put his name in the papers or make it easy for others to find him. So when Yuuki appears at his doorstep, alone and smiling awkwardly, he tries to not stare for too long.

Instead, he quickly ushers her in, mindful of the possible cameras lurking about.

"Zero-kun, I—"

"What are you doing here?" he interrupts, wincing at the tone. Harsher than he expected, but the question had to be asked.

She tugs on her skirt nervously and he's reminded of her movies. Here is where the heroine asks the tough detective to help, there is the door the hero barges in. A mug will fall, shattering over the floor as a plot twist occurs.

He doesn't want to be left behind again to pick up the pieces, to keep the clay in a small bag as a token of what occurred.

"I...I snuck out." She looks around his room. What does she see? The neighbor, the best friend? A stranger with a world she is not a part of? There is a box, taped shut, with all the movies he owns, and there is a table wiped clean, a plate with a few stray crumbs lying on it. He still doesn't eat as he should, forgetting at times.

She's still looking. Maybe she's trying to find his history, read the story of his past six years without her.

He wonders what she's finding.

"I..." Yuuki starts again, closing her eyes. "I see you didn't get those gifts I sent you."

"What gifts?"

She shakes her head. "It doesn't matter. Maybe it never reached you—Kaname-san was rather protective." He notices the change of suffix. "Either way, we can talk about it later. Right now, I just want to say Happy Birthday." Reaching into her small handbag, she pulls out a book. "I'm sorry I missed the other ones."

He watches her warily as he takes the box. "You could have just called, you know."

"...I know." She smiles. It's not the one he's seen a thousand times in the movies and papers, not the shy girl or the seductive mistress. It's a smile he hasn't seen in years, has almost forgotten it's been so long, and he can't move (breathe) for a moment. "I know, Zero-kun."

"I just wanted to see you."

...

...

...

...

...

...

...


	6. Escape

**Title: ** The Escape

**Theme:** 09:00 // assistance for others, focusing on concrete matters

**A/N:** Uh, yes, a bit different than the others, but not too much so. I really, really, need to start working on my settings and actually write about them.

**Summary:** _All she can do is move forward, outrunning the silence that chases her._

...

...

...

...

"I need help," she states simply. Nervously. Over time he has gotten used to this kind of voice, the one that worries and fears even when safety is within reach.

Because safety is _never_ within reach.

Zero turns to look down at her, her long brown locks matted in dirt and mud. His eyes linger on the holes in her shirt, the stains on her pants, and he turns back to the horizon.

"You have the money?"

She nods before realizing he isn't looking at her anymore. "Y-Yes..." She pauses, her eyes tearing up as she remembers how she got here. "Yes, I do."

Her voice grew stronger at the last part and he turns to look at her once more. Her eyes are oddly luminescent, bright things for someone forced to go through this. Never mind that, he isn't paid to think about this.

"Then I will help you escape." He crouches in front of her, eyeing her once more. "..." Without saying anything he gets up and starts to walk down the dimly-lit street.

"Eh?" She watches him walk for a moment, surprised by how easy it was.

He pauses, glancing back at her over his shoulder. "What are you waiting for?"

"O-oh! Right." Quickly she gets off the ground, dusting herself lightly out of habit, and grabs the suitcase. Scrambling on the slippery cobbled street, she runs after him.

-x-

"First you need to cut that hair." He brings out a pair of scissors, glinting in the moonlight.

"What?" Fingering her hair, Yuuki stares at him. Kaname loved her hair long.

"You want to live, don't you?" He waits a beat before adding, "It's easier to go if you look like a boy."

"Oh." Closing her eyes, she runs a hand through her hair. They aren't as soft anymore, the locks sticking together in clumps.

_Your hair looks beautiful when you..._Kaname isn't here anymore, she reminds herself. He isn't.

"Chop it all off." She closes her eyes, listening to--nothing. He's good at this, she has to admit, barely feeling her hair brush against her skin as it falls. When she opens her eyes again, her hair is shoulder length. "I thought you were getting rid of all of it."

He doesn't reply to that, instead handing her a cap to cover her head. "Change into these." In his hands are a pair of dark blue pants, the cloth coarse as she takes them, and a softer, light blue cotton shirt.

She doesn't look like a man, she decides when she looks in the mirror again, but she makes a fairly decent boy. As she approaches her guide--he never said his name, she realizes--he hands her another bag.

"What's this for?" she asks, opening it to find a cream-coloured blouse and a tan skirt.

He doesn't look at her, merely finishes packing. "When you have crossed, you will want to be a girl again."

"Oh..." She smiles softly at this. Already planning so far ahead, when she isn't even sure if she'll make it across alive. "Thank you."

"It's nothing."

She supposes it really is, for someone like him. He must make this trip every night. "I'm Yuuki."

He pauses, looking up at her. The moonlight glanced off his hair, the strands turning a darker silver, and his eyes looked like the coins she used to buy bread.

(Breathtaking, she thinks.)

"You shouldn't have told me that."

"Why?"

He shakes his head, going back to his prepping. "Are you really this stupid?" He cuts off her angry response with his next sentence. "If I am captured, I can reveal who you are now."

"...oh..." She almost forgot about the torture stories.

-x-

She doesn't know the meaning of silence, he decides when she starts talking. They have been travelling for barely an hour--he glances at his silver pocket watch again, seeing the thin steel hand hit nine--and they still have a lot of ground to cover before the night falls again.

"Where are we?" She--Yuuki, asks, glancing around curiously as they trot down a country road.

"I would appreciate it if you would stop talking." Zero paused, listening for footsteps. "It makes it harder for me."

That stops her. She follows him silently, carefully stepping where he does as they crossed a field. A crow caws in the distance, loud and piercing.

A bad omen, if he believed in those things.

A farmer appears in the distance, walking out of his barn, and Zero quickly pulls Yuuki down to hide in the wheat.

"Hmph!" she groans as she falls backwards. "That hurt--"

"Shut up." He peers at the farmer, watching as he walks back into his home. Yanking her arm, he pulls her up and drags her further down the field, into the woods nearby.

"..." She frowns at him, knowing he has a point but not liking how he put it. They start to stick to the shadows, the dapple pattern of light and dark shifting with the wind. They move forward warily, moving deeper in the forest whenever someone passes by.

Something rumbles beside him and Zero tenses before Yuuki gives a nervous laugh. "...I'm hungry."

"..." Her guide turns to look at her, an eyebrow raised.

"I haven't eaten since yesterday and--" She gives a sheepish grin. "I...I can ignore this until we can eat..."

Sighing, he shrugs off his pack and opens it, taking out an apple. "We'll eat now."

-x-

"You do this often?" Yuuki asks when they halt to rest by a stream. She sits down tired, having walked since morning without a break.

"Rarely now," Zero responds softly, warily looking around as he refills their bottles. "Last trip."

"Oh--"

"Especially because of morons like you."

"What?" She whisper-yells, remembering her situation just as the word escapes. She shouldn't be so angry at him when he's risking his life for her. Really, she should be thankful that he's still with her.

That still doesn't give him the right to keep insulting her like this. Everytime she tried to talk, he would make a comment that would leave her steaming.

"Stop saying things like that!" She towers over him, glowering as he coolly gives her a tight-lipped smile.

"Then stop giving me reasons to do so." He gets up, his shadow covering her entirely. "We're not on a field trip. Stop trying to talk so much."

"I...I..." She fumes silently, reminding herself that it won't help her if he gets angry at her. She won't make it if he abandons her halfway.

Though, it is rather tempting to teach him a lesson.

Sighing, she plops down, watching as he returns to the bottles. He dips the second one in the stream, waiting for the clear water to fill it up completely before screwing the lid on tight. Four more dark-coloured bottles, leaning against each other, sat on the bank beside the flowing river.

"...I hate silence."

His eyes dart to her for a moment before returning to his work. After the bottle tilts into the stream, he responds. "It's useful."

"I know." She sighs, looking up at the sky now. "I know that being quiet will save us. It's just..." Silence is a heavy thing, draping itself across homes that were filled with laughter. Silence means death, means a stopping of life, a stilling of a world. "Silence means there is nothing left."

She stares at the clouds, missing the way he watches her as she talks. Then the moment passes and he orders her to get up and start moving again.

They shift through the trees, walking on the borders between the fields and the forest. Sometimes they would duck quickly, a sudden flash of movement making them wary.

"...at least you don't complain," he concedes after she stopped talking entirely for an hour. She glances at him, surprised, as he carefully makes his way back to the road.

He doesn't say anything else but she gives him a sunny smile and continues with her questions.

-x-

His hand is cool, gripping her sweaty hand tightly as they make another turn. The moon shines on them brightly and she wishes it would just go away. It's easier to hide in the dark.

The guards are getting closer, their footsteps thumping loudly as their boots slam into the ground quicker and quicker. There is a soft click as one of them rises his gun.

He makes a quick right turn, dragging her after him, just as a bullet whizzes past her left shoulder.

"We're nearly there," he pants, his breath coming out in puffs. It's colder here and the night breeze chills her even more.

"What...are...we...going...to...do?" She wheezes each word out between each breath, gasping as they halt in an ally.

"Quickly," He shrugs off the bag he gave her earlier, having carried it for the last few days. "Put on the coat."

"What?"

He glares at her, harshly snapping, "No time for questions. Just put it on!"

Yuuki swallows nervously, donning the coat as he ordered. It's a little loose, hanging off her shoulders precariously, but it warms her up and that is all that matters. "Now what?"

He stares at her briefly, taking in her thin form. It's still visible, even through the coat; the toll of starvation.

"Here is an address. I want you to go to it." He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a scrap of paper. It's grimy and dirty from use but she can make out the words. "Ask for Cross."

"But--"

He silences her with a look, pulling out a gun from his own coat. "Now, when I give the signal, keep running." Peering out the corner, he raises his gun and aims. A second, a minute, a--"Now!"

"What--"

He shoots, and the soldier gives a surprised shoot as his comrade falls.

"Run, you idiot!" He turns back to look at her, his eyes gleaming in the pale light. When he sees her hesitation, his voice grows sharper. "Don't look back. Never look back. Just run."

Then he returns to watching the street, shooting carefully at the soldiers appearing. Yuuki still stands there, frozen, when his last words to her break the spell.

"My name is Zero."

With that, she turns and flees, ignoring the steady plops of bullet cases. He shoots more, running in the opposite direction of her as he does so, but she tries hard not to pay attention to him.

She looks at her feet instead, concentrates in pushing one in front of the other as she rushes down the street.

Soon, it is silent once more.

(_I hate the silence.)_

All she can do now is keep moving forward.

...

...

...

...

...


	7. Ring Ring

**Title: **Ring, Ring

**Theme:** 17:00/5PM-Insight to the self. Communicating with spiritual guides.

**Summary:** _She has her life to live and he has his_.

…

…

…

It's five, according to his watch, when he finally takes a break. There are no hunts on his list, any parties to attend, or guests to guard. There is merely a moment of silence, a moment's rest between his duties.

He crashes on the couch when he returns to his apartment. A small, badly patched up crack is a few centimeters above his head and he makes note to fix it up later. Cross probably did that shoddy work—it had been his fault the last hole occurred.

Distantly, Zero feels a hunger growing once more. It's almost morbid the fascination he has for it—the hate and the curiosity that watch side by side the changes that occur.

And it is a quite the change.

His neighbor is quite warm and the scent of blood is faint through the thick walls.

(her blood was more bitter, he recalls, with an aftertaste that wouldn't leave for days. That still doesn't leave, lingering in his mouth a year after that final drink.)

His pills taunt him from his table, those bottles of medicine that help the beast sleep once more, an ear cocked for the slightest disturbance.

The phone rings, vibrating through his pocket.

He doesn't want to answer it. Just wants to lie there and sleep and disappear. Maybe then he can forget about this long chase, about promises and longing and a desire that will never be quenched.

She won't come back. He knows that. He doesn't and does care about it.

It's almost like he has been weaned off her, painfully and suddenly, and yet…

He still knows her all too well. She's probably doing something stupid and with this single-minded idea that she has to be the one to do this. Wanting to help but not knowing when that is just her butting in.

It's still vibrating in his pocket, insistent on getting his attention.

It's not like he asked to be saved. It's not like he wants to be. Sometimes people don't know that doing so harms far more than not.

There is a scar, gouged on his left chest, invisible to the naked eye. Sometimes his fingers feel like they are slipping through skin and memories, touching something intangible and broken.

And sometimes he thinks that his job would be easier if he could just patch this hole up again.

He doesn't wait for the next ring before sitting up.

Whatever.

She's happy. She has her life. He has his. Their paths might intersect, might collide and bounce off, but they will never be congruent.

That's fine.

She chose her way.

(there are no more nightmares, no more dreams of red and faint looks of longing. Just smiles and bright eyes and finally a sense of belonging.)

She has what she wants and he is not one to stand in the way of that. No matter what his feelings might be on the matter.

The phone rings and he picks it up. Reality is calling.

…

…

…

…


End file.
